Refined wheat flour (white flour) is used to produce a wide range of popular bakery and snack products. Products made from refined wheat flour traditionally have a uniform, light-colored appearance and smooth (non-gritty) texture. Comparatively, products made with traditional whole grain wheat flour, tend to have a coarser, more dense texture and a darker, less consistent appearance (ex. —visible bran specks). Currently existing whole grain wheat flours (i.e., whole wheat flours) may be prepared, for example, by grinding cleaned wheat, other than durum wheat and red durum wheat, which, once ground, has a particle size wherein not less than 90% passes through a 2.36 millimeter (U.S. Wire 8) sieve and not less than 50% passes through an 850 micrometer (U.S. Wire 20) sieve. In whole wheat flour (whole grain wheat flour), the proportions of the natural constituents in the wheat, other than moisture, remain unaltered as compared to the wheat kernels. Bread is considered to be 100% whole wheat when the dough is made from whole grain wheat flour, bromated whole wheat flour, or a combination of these. No refined wheat flour is used in whole wheat products. Whole grain wheat flour has increased nutritional value compared to refined wheat flour because it includes the entire wheat kernel, (i.e., includes bran, germ, and endosperm) rather than primarily just the endosperm, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, whole grain wheat flour is higher in fiber, protein, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, including phenolic compounds and phytates, when compared to refined wheat flour. Further, compared to whole grain wheat flour, refined wheat flour is higher in calories and starch, while containing only about a fifth of the dietary fiber found in whole grain wheat flour and less protein than whole grain wheat flour, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Even enriched refined wheat flour, which may contain thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and iron added at or above the levels found in the wheat kernel, does not include as much fiber, minerals, lipids, and phytonutrients, as are found in whole grain wheat flour.
Recently, health practitioners have been promoting the benefits of whole grain foods. The importance of increasing whole grain consumption is reflected in the changes in recommendations set forth by government and health organization expert groups. In the Healthy People 2010 Report (National Academy Press, 1999), it is recommended that for a 2,000 calorie diet individuals two years and older should consume at least six daily servings of grain products with at least three being whole grains. In the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans it is recommended that consumers should eat 3 or more ounce equivalents of whole grain foods each day, with the rest coming from enriched or whole grain flours. In general, at least half of the intake should come from whole grains. The American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society also make specific recommendations regarding increasing the consumption of whole grains.
Despite the well-documented nutritional advantages of eating whole grain products as compared to refined flour products, consumers often prefer the consistent texture and light color of products containing refined wheat flour. Currently, in the United States, consumption of white bread made from refined wheat flour is greater than that of whole wheat bread. Such consumer preference for refined flour products may limit the use of current whole grain wheat flours in bakery and snack products.
Another limitation of current whole grain flours involves their shelf life. The bran and germ of whole grain wheat flour contain enzymes such as lipase, lipoxygenase, and peroxidase. These enzymes are important during early plant development, but their presence in the whole grain wheat flour reduces the shelf life of the whole grain wheat flour.
Previous “traditional” whole grain flourmills (as shown in FIG. 3) are only capable of producing a few types of granular whole grain flour products and have not been able to produce whole grain wheat flour having similar baking attributes and resulting in products similar to refined wheat flour. Using current technology, the finest granulation of whole grain wheat flour that is available in the marketplace has a particle size larger than refined wheat flour. Attempts have been made to produce a whole grain wheat flour with a particle size comparable to refined wheat flour, however, these attempts generally have not been economically feasible, and did not result in a particle size that was comparable to refined wheat flour. The current processes are uneconomical due to the energy usage and capitalization required to grind the millfeed using the rollermills, hammermills and bran slicers typically implemented in such processes. Therefore, such processes cannot economically achieve the desired granulation.
Given that a number of popular consumer products made with refined wheat flour are low in fiber and do not have the nutritional benefits of their respective whole grain counterparts, it would be desirable to develop a whole grain wheat flour that can be used in these products, yet still allow these products to maintain a desirable texture and appearance that is acceptable to consumers. Such products would have enhanced nutritional value and increased shelf life, while retaining the qualities (ex. —baking attributes, appearance, color, taste, texture) that appeal to a large segment of consumers.
Further, in the United States, individuals typically consume 12-15 grams of fiber per day, which is half or less of the recommended level. Many current fiber supplements have an undesirable texture, taste and have limited nutritional value beyond their fiber content. Current fiber supplements including isolated fibers may have a less than desired nutrient content. Therefore, it would also be desirable to develop nutritious, high fiber food products and fiber supplements which have a texture and taste more palatable to a number of consumers.